[V]ermont will be part of the first international culinary trail that eventually will span more than 1,000 miles.
Unveiled last week, the Lake Champlain Tasting Trail includes more than 50 restaurants, producers, farms, wineries, breweries, cideries and farmers markets. The pathway in the Champlain Valley will serve as a link with similar trails in New York, Ontario and Quebec as officials work toward the broader goal of uniting them.
The route includes locations in Grand Isle, Chittenden, Franklin and Addison counties that meet standards for a high-quality visitor experience.
Among those participating: Allenholm Farm and Snow Farm Vineyard in South Hero, Foam Brewers and Switchback Brewing Co. in Burlington, West Swanton Orchard and Cider Mill, Dakin Farm in Ferrisburgh, Honey Road in Burlington and the Burlington Farmers Market.
Wendy Knight, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, said the project is an exciting opportunity to create something unique, that connects to the culture of the state.
“We have such of deep heritage of agricultural and agro-tourism,” she said.
Knight said that the concept of an international route could become a major draw for tourists across the country and beyond. The trail is centered around Lake Champlain and other bodies of water that serve as a geographic connector.
“The idea is that you’re going to come to Vermont and explore the Lake Champlain region, then cross the lake, then cross the border and go into wine regions of Quebec,” Knight said.
The concept first originated when Quebec farmer David Gillespie got in contact with UVM Extension last year.
Gillespie became involved in agri-tourism when living in the Adirondack region of New York for a number of years. He wanted to see what he could do to help boost the economy, given that many of the dairy farms in the area were small scale, and couldn’t have a large number of cows due to Adirondack Park regulations.
Gillespie, who has been a farmer for 42 years, said he saw agri-tourism and the idea of a culinary network as a solution.
The resident of Quebec’s Outaouais region said agri-tourism is all about education.
“People are so removed from agriculture that it’s actually a learning experience for them, they enjoy the experience of meeting the farmers.”
The next step was taking local officials on tours of the Circuit du Paysan, a well-established trail in Quebec, in both 2002 and 2004. Interest and efforts to create something similar south of the border have been growing since, leading up to Gillespie meeting with staff from UVM Extension last summer.
Vermont officials were on board from the start, according to Lisa Chase of UVM Extension and Director of the Vermont Tourism Research Center.
“We envision a really connected trail that’s focused around Lake Champlain, that’s focused on authentic food and farm experiences, while supporting local, sustainable agriculture in the region,” Chase said.
The state’s involvement became finalized after an international meeting at Snow Farm Vineyard – one of the sites on the trail – in late June. The next step is for representatives from the four provinces and states to create a working group to develop cohesive marketing and promotion of the network.
UVM Extension has been leading the Vermont effort in collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, and the Vermont Fresh Network.
“Right now in Vermont we’re focused on refining the trail, and making sure it’s a cohesive, high quality and authentic experience for visitors,” Chase said.
Vermont’s link – the Lake Champlain Tasting Trail – is currently open to visitors who can plan their journey and select stops along the route.
Knight said there is still work to be done to iron out the kinks. The international aspect also presents challenges with biosecurity and crossing the border. People who have visited a farm must declare that at customs, and produce and plants cannot be taken out of either country, she said.
“Immediate efforts are focused on co-marketing between regions, and lodging partner packages to facilitate travel between regions,” Knight said.
Chase and Gillespie will be traveling to Italy in November to present the project at the 1st World Congress on Agritourism.
Gillespie said project organizers are hoping to launch the international culinary trail through a ribbon cutting with the governors of New York and Vermont, and the premiers of Quebec and Ontario. The expected date for an official launch has not been determined.
Chase sees the cross border collaborate as positive at a time when U.S. – Canadian political relations are strained, and said the effort shows how it’s better to work together.
“It’s a model of international cooperation, and cooperation across states,” she said.
